Brazilian Judge has ordered the suspension of the messaging WhatsApp

Judge Luiz de Moura Correia ordered the suspension earlier this month, though the service has continued to operate normally.

A Brazilian judge says he has ordered the suspension of the globally popular instant messaging system WhatsApp across the country because it has allegedly failed to help in an investigation.

Judge Luiz de Moura Correia ordered the suspension earlier this month, though the service has continued to operate normally. The newspaper Folha de S. Paulo said that is because lawyers appealed the ruling.

The judge would not comment on details of his decision because it is an ongoing case, but a press officer at the Piaui state’s Public Safety Department says the case is linked to “sexually graphic photos of children on the app.” He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing internal regulations.

The proprietary, cross-platform app’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment — the service does not have an office in Brazil so the judge’s order was delivered to cell-phone operators.

WhatsApp is owned by Facebook Inc, which last year paid nearly 22 billion dollars to acquire the popular mobile messaging service.

SindiTelebrasil, the association that represents those operators, said on its website that the suspension could cause “huge losses to millions of Brazilians” who use WhatsApp for personal and professional reasons.

Top Comments

then one suggests that brazil suspends the whole world,
as it failed in its help of investigation. ?

Feb 28th, 2015 - 10:13 am 0

Conqueror

If the last paragraph is accurate, let's support the judge! Just shows how 19th century Brazzos are. How did he convey his 'request' for help? Word of mouth? A letter? Did he phone? Did he think to enquire why his request hadn't been complied with? If the picture is also accurate, he looks like a prat.

Feb 28th, 2015 - 01:03 pm 0

Jack Bauer

What a fucking twat ! Why doesn't he try to ban the internet ?? This judge is from the State of Piaui, the poorest in the country, which has a thriving child sex industry ; and, probably run by local politicians ; typical brazzo approach....attack the consequences not the cause..